Hydraulic air-pump



(No Model.)

J. WLOEK.

I HYDRAULIC AIR PUMP- A No. 464,237. Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JAMES lVLO-EK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDRAULIC AlR-PU-M P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,237, dated December 1, 1891.

Application filed February 13, 1891- Serial No. 381,378. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES VVLCEK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Air-Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus designed for use in connection with vessels from which beer, soda-water, or other aerated beverages are dispensed; and the purpose of this apparatus is to supply and preserve a constant air-pressure within these vessels. My preferred construction is illustrated in the drawings presented herewith, in which Figure l is a vertical section of the.'entire. apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion thereof, taken in a plane at right angles to the surface of the drawings.

Describing the construction here shown from these drawings, A is a tank or box having a discharge-pipe a, and Bis an oscillating frame pivoted between its ends at b upon the box A. The pivot is located much nearer one end of the frame than the other, and the long arm bears at its extremity weights NV, while at its opposite end it carries a closed reservoir R, opening at its bottom into a. cylinder C. A pressure-regulator D, of any preferred form, is also mounted upon the box A, connected on its induction side with a waterpressure-such as the mains of a cityand upon its eduction side with the cylinder 0, opening into the latter in a downward direction at c.

While the particular regulator employed is immaterial, yet I prefer one of the type shown in Fig. 2, in which the water enters at d and leaves at d' The induction-port d-terminates in a nozzle (1 and a rubber stopper d is arranged just'ben eath' this nozzle, being supported by a yoke (1 carried by a diaphragm d A spring d controls this diaphragm, and an adjusting-nut (1 enables the pressure of the spring to be regulated as desired. The downward pressure of the spring keeps the valve open until the pressure of the passin g water, acting upon the diaphragm d overcomes the force of the spring cl". Beneath the port 0 a valve 0 is hinged to the bottom of the cylinder C, so as to close by its own weight, and has depending from its under surface a rod 0 extending down to within a short distance of a stop a, supported by the tank A. Said valve has upon its upper surface an extension 0 arranged so that when the valve is raised this extension will close the port 0. A pipe E leads from near the top of the reservoir R downward throughthe pivoted frame and through a check-valve e to a hose e, which connects with the beerkeg or other receptacle in which the airpressure is to be maintained. The passage within the frame 13, which connects with the tube E, branches within said frame, a downward extension thereof 6 opening at the bottom into a cup e in which is arranged a rubber cylinder F, supported in the trough A, so that when the frame is in the position shown in the drawings the port e will be closed by the upper surface of the cylinder pressing against its mouth.

The operation of the device is as follows:

WVhen the water enters through the regulator D, itrises in the cylinder 0 and reservoir R, driving the air out through the pipe E to the beer-keg. As soon as the water in the reservoir R rises to the desired height its weight, overcoming the counter-balance W, will force down its end of the swinging frame, bringing the rod 0 against the block a and opening the valve 0, at the same time closing the port a. The motion of the frame has already lifted the mouth of the port 6 from the rubber block F, and admitting air through this port to the top of the reservoir will allow the water in said reservoir to escape past the valve 0'. While this is going on the checkvalve 6 prevents the air in the keg from returning, and the port cbeing closed no water can flow from the water-supply. As soon as the water has escaped from the reservoir the weights W return the frame to the position shown in the drawings, and the operation is repeated until the pressure in the beer-keg or other receptacle reaches the desired limit, when the back-pressure of the water upon'the diaphragm d will close the nozzle (1 cutting off the water until said pressure is reduced by drawing some of the beer from the keg.

To avoid forcing water into the beer in case of an accident to the apparatus, a float G is described, of an oscillating frame, a water-reservoir, an eduction-valve for the air, induction and eduction valves for. the water, a cupshaped extension of the frame, having an airpassage 6 leading thereto, and a rubber cylinder F, loosely fitted therein and adapted to close the passage under the pressure of the frame, substantially as described.

. JAMES WLCEK. Witnesses:

H. BITNER, O. P. SMITH. 

